Two last night: Great Bowen & Arden Ward, Harborough DC. LD gain from Con in a split ward. LD 966 (61.8%, +12.1), Con 598 (38.2%, -12.1). Swing of 12.1% from Con to LD since 2007. Lyngford Ward, Taunton Deane DC. LD hold. LD 390 (43.7%, -7.3), Con 253 (28.4%, +1.7), Lab 190 (21.3%, +5.3), UKIP 59 (6.6%, +0.4). Swing of 4.5% from LD to Con since Oct 2009 by-election.

There was just one yesterday: Starbeck Ward, Harrogate BC. LD hold. LD 886 (63.4%, -8.8), Con 252 (18%, +5), Ind 178 (12.7%, +12.7), Lab 82 (5.9%, +0.8). Swing of 6.9% from LD to Con since 2007.

Cause for celebration this week with a good set of by-election results: Liberal Democrat Andrew Baldrey won St Mary’s with Summercombe (Torbay UA) from the Conservatives with a huge swing: LD Andrew Baldrey 801 (52.7%;+16.4) Con 365 (24.0%;-23.9) Lab 195 (12.8%;+12.8) UKIP 159 (10.5%;+10.5) Turnout 26.2% Percentage change is since May 2007 Elsewhere, the Liberal

Factor in the usual caveats about polling so soon after a change of government, but the latest Sun/YouGov poll is still pretty eyecatching. It has the Tories on 40 percent, Labour on 39 and the Lib Dems on 12 – the smallest gap between the two main parties since the election-that-never-was in October 2007. Here's a graph of the the two parties' positions since the beginnning of the...

What can you say about the Welsh? In an Assembly election, which will next take place in May 2011, Labour would get 35% of the votes (it got 32% in the 2007 election), Plaid Cymru 27% (22%), Conservatives 16% (22%), Liberal Democrats 12% (15%), Green 4% (-), UKIP 1% (8%) and Others 5% (-). I can only conclude that perverse incentives work, and that bribing the Welsh to remain unemployed is paying ...

Last night's results, including two Labour gains. Pendre Ward, Bridgend UA. Lab gain from LD. Lab 200 (36.6%, -12.8) LD 193 (35.3%, -15.3), Ind 68 (12.5%, +12.5), Con 60 (11%, +11), PC 25 (4.6%, +4.6). Swing of 1.7% from LD to Lab since 2007. Birstall Watermead Ward, Charnwood DC. Con gain from LD. Con 674 (47.7%, +2.8), Lab 452 (32%, +32), BNP 288 (20.4%, +20.4). Swing of 14.6% from Con to Lab si...

There are 12 runners in the Henley by-election, caused by London Mayor Boris Johnson standing down from the Commons.

The candidate list for the Norwich North by-election is published, with 12 people confirmed as standing.

THE Conservatives have held onto Pentyrch at a Cardiff council by-election by just 12 votes.

Last night's council by-election results: Pimhill Ward, Shrewsbury & Atcham BC. Con hold. Con 341 (45.6%, -25%), LD 331 (44.3%, +44.3%), BNP 59 (7.9%, +7.9%), Ind 16 (2.1%, +2.1%). Technically a 34.7% swing from Con to LD since 2007 but this is because the LDs did not run in 2007 but had run in earlier elections and come similarly close. Labour ran in 2007 but not in this contest or any of the...